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The Quiet Invasion: A Guide to Invasive Species of the Galveston Bay Area

The Quiet Invasion: A Guide to Invasive Species of the Galveston Bay Area www.galvbayinvasives.org has been redesigned and updated thanks to a grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The redesigned digital field guide features 103 invasive plant, animal and insect species that are either present or are of concern for the Galveston Bay area. Each species profile includes details about identification, habitat, impact, geographic distribution and management strategies. Color photos, an updated search page, prohibited species lists and reporting information, and a mapping application make the website a valuable tool for aquarium hobbyists, homeowners, gardening enthusiasts, anglers, businesses, teachers and students.

The new Quiet Invasion website, like the original, was created with input from local experts from TPWD and the Galveston Bay Council Invasive Species Working Group. The original website was created in 2006 and received over 260,000 visits. Much has changed since that time, and the impacts of invasive species on native habitats in Texas and the Galveston Bay region have continued to increase. In 2016, the Galveston Bay Report Card reported a grade of B for invasive species in Galveston Bay and D for the Rivers and Bayous, as there are multiple invasive species that have become established and are causing problems in our wetlands prairies, forests and waterways. The Quiet Invasion website provides detailed assessments of the threats and control strategies for invasive species to educate the public and help stop the invasion.

The purpose of this project was to conduct data collection, analysis and modeling for a study of the storm surge and wave impacts on land in Harris County around Galveston Bay due to Hurricane Ike in 2008 and effective ways to use breakwater islands to mitigate the effects.